The proliferation of illegal lottery houses in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and environs has become a great concern to the Borno Geographic Information Service (BOGIS).
Adam Bababe, the Executive Secretary of the BOGIS in a statement said there was a noticeable increase in people leasing out their lands in residential and commercial areas for lottery or game houses.
He explained that Section 13, sub-section 2 of the Borno State Land Use Regulation 2022, mandates title holders to adhere to the terms and conditions of their right of occupancy.
The statement said: “BOGIS wishes to inform the public that it has noticed the increase in leasing legally allocated spaces, whether for commercial or residential purposes, to lottery or game house operators which are strictly against the law.
The statement further said: “The presence of these gaming/bet houses within our state has led to numerous complaints from concerned residents because it exposes a significant number of our youth to various forms of criminal and notorious activities, all in the pursuit of funds to finance lottery games.
“Given these, BOGIS would like to reiterate that providing spaces and shops for lottery and gaming houses contradicts established regulations.”.
Bababe said any deviation from the conditions, including engaging in activities that conflict with approved land use, could result in the revoking of the land title.
“Furthermore, Section 205 of the Penal Code laws of Borno State specifies that maintaining a house or place for betting or playing games of chance e.g. bet king, bet Naija, sports bet, etc., as well as assisting in such activities, is a criminal offense that may lead to imprisonment.
“It is important to note that the law establishing the Borno Geographic Information Service grants the agency the authority to address any land-related administration and management.
“We kindly request your cooperation in ensuring that our shared spaces are utilized responsibly and by the law.”
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